A security official collects evidence at the site from a vehicle which was damaged by a bomb blast in Peshawar. PHOTO: REUTERS

PESHAWAR:

The Taliban said on Friday they had attacked a US consulate convoy in an upscale neighbourhood of Peshawar – the latest assault in a surge of violence since al Qaeda kingpin Osama bin Laden was killed in a top-secret operation by US commandos in Abbottabad on May 2.

Police said that a car bomb had been detonated by remote control as the convoy passed on Abdara Road in University Town. A passerby was killed and a dozen others wounded in the attack.

The attack – the first on American citizens in Pakistan since Bin Laden’s killing – comes a day after the interior ministry issued a statement asking foreigners to avoid unnecessary travel without prior notification.

“The attack was targeting two US consulate officials, who were on their way to the consulate in Peshawar Cantonment from the American Club in University Town,” Peshawar Police chief Liaqat Ali Khan told reporters at the site of attack. The Americans, he said, remained safe as they were travelling in a bomb-proof Land Cruiser.

He said that it was a car bombing that took place at around 8:25am, and around 12 people were injured in the attack. However, he said, there was no information about any American national suffering injuries in the attack.

US embassy spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez said two US government employees were lightly wounded in the rush-hour attack. “One vehicle was damaged. There is no death among our personnel and there are no serious injuries,” Rodriguez said, adding that two male US government employees inside the car suffered “minor injuries”.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) swiftly claimed responsibility, threatening more attacks against Western targets. “Our first enemy is Pakistan, then the US and after that, other Nato countries,” said TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan. “Osama was our leader and America is the biggest terrorist,” the spokesman said.

Offices of many international organisations are located in University Town. The area, where al Qaeda was founded in 1998, was also a hub of Afghan resistance during the Soviet era.

Dismissing initial reports of a suicide bomber on a motorcycle, Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) officials said 50 to 55 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the attack. They said that the Alto, used by the attackers, was parked in the area. But the police chief said it was not clear if the vehicle was moving or parked.

According to witnesses, the blast was so intense that the entire area rocked in its aftermath. Many houses and moving vehicles were damaged, while the bomb-proof vehicle’s exterior was damaged after it ran into an electricity pylon.

Nasir, a security guard at a nearby hospital, told The Express Tribune that following the first blast, another Land Cruiser sped to the scene and whisked away the foreigners.

The passerby killed in the attack was identified as Amjad, son of Bashir, who was on a motorbike near the attacked car. Those injured were identified as Bilal Zeb, Noorul Haq, Saifur Shah, Ihsan Tanvir, Syed Hassan Shah, Zahid, Bakht Nabi, Shahid Awan, Usman Ghani and a woman Nabila Gul.

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Reader Comments (24)

How many more deaths before the government stops supporting these barbarians. Instead of pointing at foreign powers, let the government do its job once and eliminate these assets once and for all.Recommend

Raymond Davis has done his job. The present puppet government has fulfilled the mission of the external powers. Bombs and blasts are now a culture of this country (sadly). This is the new millennium of nuclear Pakistan. And we will also receive 50 more jets from China. I do not know why this is breaking news anymore. The media with its simpletons will continue to show the puppets (PPP, PML). They will talk tough, they will look tough and yet we do not know what the end game is. The external powers have put us on the track for their end game. Our media simpletons will do the country a great favor, if they at least begin to start identifying new leadership which this country requires. Look at our large private corporates and the professionals who run them. You will not find a single politician or general to do the job which is required of professional entities. Same is required to run PakistanRecommend

these are the fruits of our allignment with the usa in the golobal war against terrorism. Bomb blasts have become the order of the day and every morning we are greeted with explosions and killings of innocent people. still there is time and our leaders should think over our allignment with the usa in the global war against terror. Recommend

Pakistan army should clean out the terrorists from North Waziristan and wherever they are. How many more cold blooded murders would it take for the army/ISI to stop this carnage? Why is half a million army is not in action? Terrorists have declared the war on the population of Pakistan, hello and wake up.

This is no time to sit, sleep, make speeches and taking tours but to do the primary job, which is to protect Pakistani people. If not now then when? Recommend

ALQEEDA! Please do all your acts in Afghanistan and liberate her soonest possible to get USA,UK,NATO out of this region.All your actions in Pakistan strengthen USA,NATO,UK and only corruupt rulers of Pakistan,MQM,PPP,ANP benefit and poor die and are being ruined and curse you.Leave us.Imagine how goof Osama was.Living in all comfort with three wives,half dozen of children amnd leaving all diaries,computer,datas of his schemes in the compound ready to going to the hands of USA-CIA etc to the total embarrassment of the poor of Pakistan and not corrupt rulers who thrive by this soituation.Go to Afghanistan and fight the usurpers there with Mullah Umar.Change your strategies.Recommend

Pakistani’s suffering from intellectual bankrupty. Concentrate on providing security, electricity and water to the teaming millions rather than chase NATO oil tankers. Keep up the drone strikes to rid the country of barbarians. Recommend

@Abdul:
Its not a conspiracy but fact.Bomb proof US vehicles get hit by a road side bomb and the only people who get killed are Pakistani, who were out side the vehicles.US supposedly killed Osama but TTP wants to kill Pakistanis for revenge.Why does TTP not attack NATO supply convoys or go fight in Afghanistan.No sir,TTP never shot a single bullet in Afghanistan because thats the deal between TTP and CIA.A road side bomb went off next to convoy of US consulate to show the world that TTP is attacking Americans and no American gets killed but only vehicle damage.Wake up and smell the coffee “Abdul”, if thats your real name. Recommend

How many more Muslims you need to die in the so called Bin Laden Revenge Attack? Can’t you guys understand a simple thing that we Muslims kills Muslims in the name of Jihad. How can this type of Jihad be justified? Do you really think that every Muslim on the earth will stand for you? Recommend

Whatever the murky facts may be – conspiracy theories aside – the TTP openly declared war against Pakistan. What is stopping us from reciprocating and wiping out this menace and all the rest of the “banned” organizations working on our soil? Lets destroy them!Recommend